Legislators Walk Line In Taking Part-time Job

Lake politics

During The Day, You Most Likely Will Find State Rep. Everett Kelly In On No Drive For Full-time Legislature Expected

December 5, 1992|By Gerard Shields of The Sentinel Staff

During the day, you most likely will find state Rep. Everett Kelly in one of three places: Tallahassee, his Lake County district office or - the Lake Correctional Institution.

Kelly isn't in any trouble. The Lady Lake Democrat is the pharmacist at the state prison near Clermont.

As part-time pharmacist, Kelly earned $17,000 last year. He is paid by the state Department of Corrections - the same state Department of Corrections whose budget Kelly votes on every year as a legislator.

Is the job a conflict? Not according to the Florida Constitution. Because state legislators are part-time employees, they're permitted to hold part-time jobs.

But Kelly's job and the part-time employment of dozens of other legislators raises questions over possible conflicts and whether the job of legislator should become full-time to help avoid gray areas.

Bill Jones, executive director of the Common Cause public interest group in Tallahassee, has kept an eye on the side jobs legislators hold. He doesn't like what he sees.

Some legislators are attorneys who work for law firms that are involved in lobbying and consulting with the state, Jones said. As for Kelly's job, Jones isn't concerned.

''It's minor compared to what's out there,'' he said.

Former state Sen. Dick Langley's practices raised critics' eyebrows when the lawyer would represent some clients before state boards while still a legislator. Jones and Common Cause said the practice is a problem because it puts undue pressure on agencies whose livelihoods depend on the legislators.

Langley, in an interview before his recent ouster in the elections, said he saw no problem with it and wasn't worried about an ethics complaint being filed.

''If they file one against me, they better file one against every other legislator,'' he said.

When asked about Kelly's job, Langley responded: ''It certainly looks like a bigger conflict than what I'm doing.''

Kelly, who recently was elected to his eighth consecutive two-year term, sees it as a matter of practicality. As a part-time state legislator, Kelly earns $22,500. That's not enough to support his family, he said. Lake Correctional Institution needed a good pharmacist. Kelly applied.

''Why should it be a conflict if I can provide these services and provide good services?'' said Kelly, who has worked at the facility since 1988. ''It's a given - I can't live on my legislative salary.''

All those attending Lake County Commission meetings, BEWARE: The Tavares police have stepped up parking patrols.

Meeting-goers who parked in the two-hour parking zones left Tuesday's three-hour meeting to find bright yellow envelopes on their windshields with a $10 fine.

$10?!?!??!?!?! (As you can tell, yours truly was included.)

Tavares police say they haven't been enforcing the laws because they were short-handed. Now they're back to marking tires and looking for violators.

The goal of the parking laws is to create space for other people looking for parking. But anymore, there isn't a need to create parking space because there's plenty to go around, especially with most of the county activity moving down the road to the new courthouse and the huge parking lot.